Process, a computer and a computer program for processing document data having color data

Abstract

In a preflight process for digital print systems, color data from print data are analyzed and the results presented in a report. The color data are individually altered in regard to not only a color profile, in which they are encoded, but also in regard to their color values, using a graphic user interface. Results of the alterations are displayed using corresponding screened document pages.

We claim as our invention: 
     
       1. A process for processing document data containing many document pages, wherein color data are contained in the document data, the color data being encoded in a color profile and designated as input color data, comprising the steps of:
 providing logical rules or conditions for identifying positions of objects whose respective colors are to be altered, and using said logical rules or conditions, identifying said objects; 
 displaying said objects by displaying respective color elements of the input color data on a display device; 
 for said displayed objects executing a color conversion and generating a conversion rule therefore to change each of said displayed objects of identified position to different colors than their original colors, said different colors all being different from each other; 
 altering respective color elements of the input color data in the document data for said objects according to the conversion rule, and generating output color data thereby; 
 selecting a color profile in which the output color data are to be encoded from several provided color profiles; and 
 screening at least a portion of the document data on a page-by-page basis with the output color data, and displaying the screened data on the display device. 
 
     
     
       2. The process of  claim 1  wherein the input color data are encoded in one of the color profiles CMYK, RGB, LAB, OCA, HSV, Highlight Color or Indexed Color. 
     
     
       3. The process of  claim 1  wherein at least two of the color profiles CMYK, RGB, LAB, OCA, HSV, Highlight Color or Indexed Color are available for the encoding of the output color data. 
     
     
       4. The process of  claim 1  wherein results of a compilation are presented in a report and the report is displayed on the display device. 
     
     
       5. The process of  claim 1  wherein the document data are encoded in a print data language. 
     
     
       6. The process of  claim 1  wherein for said displayed objects, in each case a selection function for the color profile of the output data and a selection function for a respective color value of the output color data is available in a graphic user interface of a computer. 
     
     
       7. The process of  claim 1  wherein for said displayed objects of the document data stream, a corresponding color profile and corresponding color values for both the input color data and the output color data, as well as a graphic representation of the respective colors, are displayed on the graphic user interface. 
     
     
       8. The process in accordance with  claim 1  wherein the entire document data with input color data are automatically converted in a separate data processing cycle using mapping rules, and the document data with the output color data generated thereby are sent to a raster image processor which screens the document data according to given screening rules, and sends the screened document data to a printer for printing. 
     
     
       9. The process in accordance with  claim 8  wherein for the screening in order to display the document data on the display device, same screening rules are used as those used in the raster image processor. 
     
     
       10. The processing in accordance with  claim 1  wherein the color profile of the input color data is CMYK or RGB, and the color profile of the output color data is Highlight Color. 
     
     
       11. A print system for processing document data containing many document pages, comprising:
 color data contained in the document data, the color data being encoded in a color profile and designated as input color data; 
 a computer having a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising a computer program; and 
 said computer program performing the steps of 
 providing logical rules or conditions for identifying positions of objects whose respective colors are to be altered, and using said logical rules or conditions, identifying said objects; 
 displaying said objects by displaying respective color elements of the input color data on a display device; 
 for said displayed objects executing a color conversion and generating a conversion rule therefore to change each of said displayed objects of identified position to different colors than their original colors, said different colors all being different from each other; 
 altering respective color elements of the input color data in the document data for said objects according to the conversion rule, and generating output color data thereby; 
 selecting a color profile in which the output color data are to be encoded from several provided color profiles; and 
 screening at least a portion of the document data on a page-by-page basis with the output color data, and displaying the screened data on the display device. 
 
     
     
       12. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising a computer program for processing document data containing many document pages wherein color data are contained in the document data, the color data being encoded in a color profile and subsequently designated as input color data, said program performing the steps of:
 providing logical rules or conditions for identifying positions of objects whose respective colors are to be altered, and using said logical rules or conditions, identifying said objects; 
 displaying said objects by displaying respective color elements of the input color data on a display device; 
 for said displayed objects executing a color conversion and generating a conversion rule therefore to change each of said displayed objects of identified position to different colors than their original colors, said different colors all being different from each other; 
 altering respective color elements of the input color data in the document data for said objects according to the conversion rule, and generating output color data thereby; 
 selecting a color profile in which the output color data are to be encoded from several provided color profiles; and 
 screening at least a portion of the document data on a page-by-page basis with the output color data, and displaying the screened data on the display device.